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Indybay Feature

Coyote Hazing: Learning to Live with Urban Coyotes in San Francisco

by D. Boyer
We can either kill or remove the urban coyote or we must learn to live with them. Residents in San Francisco’s Stern Grove recently experienced two urban coyote attacks. In one attack a small dog was seriously injured, and in the other attack a small dog wandered away from its owner, into a spot where an urban coyote was lurking, but never returned. Both pets were allegedly unleashed.

Videos from the non-profit Project Coyote’s “Coyote Hazing” workshop that was held on October 7th, 2015 in San Francisco’s Stern Grove. Additional video and photos of urban coyotes in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. I have also attached flyers and brochures that can be downloaded. I am not associated with Project Coyote
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Urban coyotes are everywhere, from Chicago, to New York’s Central Park, to Washington D.C. and finally in many of San Francisco’s urban parks. Their presence is a success story, but is still relatively new when it comes to people feeling comfortable with them during close encounters. Urban coyotes adapt well to urban environments, and they are good at staying illusive and avoiding human contact; however if an unleashed small pet dog wanders into their area a coyote will take the opportunity to attack it. Historically urban coyotes outlive the rural Coyotes with motor vehicles being the biggest threat to their lives. Urban coyotes are mostly nocturnal, but if they are habituated with food some will wander their territory during the day.

The non-profit Project Coyote, “is a North American coalition of wildlife scientists, educators, predator- friendly ranchers and community leaders, promotes compassionate conservation and coexistence between people and wildlife. As a national non-profit organization based in Northern California, Project Coyote works to change negative attitudes toward coyotes, wolves and other native carnivores by replacing ignorance and fear with understanding, respect and appreciation. All of our work through education, science, and advocacy strives to create fundamental and systemic changes in the ways wild carnivores are viewed and treated in North America.” More information can be found on their website. Project Coyote

As part of their mission Project Coyote creates workshops that teach residents or citizens how to safely co-exist with urban coyotes. One workshop called "Coyote Hazing Field Training" was recently held in San Francisco’s Stern Grove. The workshop aimed to teach dog owners and other residents what is coyote hazing and how it can be used to keep people and dogs safe when encountering an urban coyote. The alternative to learning to live with urban coyotes is simple. Gina Farr, Project Coyotes National Coyote Educator & Communications Advisor said “we would have to basically become killing machines. We could go into our urban parks and either trap or shoot the coyotes then put up fences and gates, and that would be the only way to keep them out.”

Coyote hazing is a tool that dog owners and other citizens can use to safely keep urban coyotes at a safe distance. According to Project Coyotes Coyote Hazing Field Guide, hazing is the act of “scaring a coyote away from you, your yard, or your neighborhood.” I have attached the coyote hazing guide in this post below. There are two types of hazing active and passive. Passive hazing entails that homeowners “remove attractants” to create less favorable conditions for urban coyotes. Passive hazing also means not feeding your pets outdoors, cleaning around bird feeders, and installing motion detection lighting or sprinklers. Active hazing means scaring a coyote away from you when one is encountered. Safe ways to haze a coyote are using noise makers, such as placing pennies in a can, using whistles, bells and or pots and pans. Another effective hazing technique is by acting big and loud, and waving your arms over your head, and make that coyote afraid of you, but do not throw anything at it. More information on the effective ways to haze coyotes can be read in the attached coyote hazing field guide. Please do not haze if you suspect a coyote is sick or injured and during the months March-July, which is when they den and possibly raise their families. It is not recommended that you haze a coyote if it is a safe distance from you, or your dog. A safe distance is 30 feet.

Urban coyotes inhabit San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, Stern Grove, Pine Lake Park, Bernal Heights Park, Glen Canyon/Park, Lake Merced, Lands End, and the Presidio, They have also been seen in many other neighborhoods and parks within the City and County of San Francisco.
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
§This video highlights coyote hazing tools.
by D. Boyer
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
§Signage at Pine Lake Park in Stern Grove
by D. Boyer
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The signage was put-up after a small unleashed pet dog wandered away from it's owner into coyote territory and never returned.
§Coyote alert signs.
by D. Boyer
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When in an urban park within the City and County of San Francisco you must always be "Coyote Aware."
§Leash laws do exist.
by D. Boyer
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If you don't officials to become killing machines to remove coyotes then we must all follow the rules.
§Be Coyote Aware Flyer
by D. Boyer
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Please download and post.
§Learn how to co-exist with urban coyotes.
by D. Boyer
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§Coyote Hazing Field Guide
by D. Boyer
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This guide is produced by Project Coyote.
§Urban Coyote Behavior
by D. Boyer
Copy the code below to embed this movie into a web page:
Coyotes are dogs so they act like dogs. If you leave food, garbage, or other attractants laying around on the ground in coyote country they will find it and then become habituated by food.
§Urban Coyote from Golden Gate Park
by D. Boyer
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It is believed that coyotes can only get as big as 18-35lbs, however this coyote appears to be bigger than 40lbs.
§This is Trevor
by D. Boyer
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Yes this urban Coyote has a name, and it is Trevor. He inhabits the area around Pine Lake Park in San Francisco's Stern Grove park.
§This coyote is obviously habituated by food.
by D. Boyer
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Dog owners and walkers sometimes take treats with them on their walks, but what they don't know is that a coyote can smell those treats and they will go investigate the smell. In this photo the coyote is getting his scent. They stick their noses up in the air and then they go after it.
§Accidental encounter
by D. Boyer
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There is a rule in the wildlife photography world that says we must stay at least 30 feet away from all wildlife. But on occasion I have close encounters, and cannot get 30 feet away.
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Sec. 5.07. FEEDING ANIMALS PROHIBITED
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to feed or offer to any animal in any park any substance which would be likely to be harmful to it.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to feed, or offer food or any substance to any animal in any park which is wild by nature and not customarily domesticated in the City and County of San Francisco. However, the Recreation and Park Commission may authorize the feeding of certain animals or birds in specified areas.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any person to feed, or offer food or any substance to any animal in the San Francisco Zoological Gardens without specific authorization from Zoo staff.
Existing Police Code:
Sec. 486. FEEDING BIRDS AND WILD ANIMALS PROHIBITED
It shall be unlawful for any person to feed or offer food to any bird or wild animal in or on any sidewalk, street or highway of the City and County of San Francisco. It shall be unlawful to feed or offer food to any Red Masked Parakeet in any park of the City and County of San Francisco.
§People are feeding the wildlife in Pine Lake Park
by D. Boyer
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Despite the laws people still indirectly feed the wildlife in San Francisco's Pine Lake Park.
§Coyotes Playing with Dogs?
by D. Boyer
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There has never been a case reported officially that suggests urban coyotes play with domestic dogs.
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